GREETING (Psalm 119:171-172)
My lips will pour forth praise, O God,
because you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your promise,
for all your commandments are right.
HYMN 425 “O Crucified Redeemer”
PSALM 7
PRAYER
(Consider some of the following concerns for prayers of thanksgiving, intercession, and petition. Follow with your personal prayer list.)
Murderers Jesus’ promise of resurrection
Victims of murderers The loss of a being created by God
Murder’s impact on the loved ones of the deceased Killing for food
Murder’s impact on the one murdering another Killing for sport
Murder’s impact on human society Killing to protect another
Murder’s impact on God Killing to protect yourself
Unintentional killing Killing in war
God’s protection of us Revenge killing
When God does not protect us Genocide
The desire to murder someone Suicide
Thoughts of murdering someone Infanticide
Command to “Love one another” Euthanasia
Compassion God’s judgment of the murderer
Empathy The death penalty
Respect for another living being Life in prison
Valuing life ____________________________
Laying down your life for another ____________________________
The pain and suffering of dying ____________________________
THE LORD'S PRAYER
SCRIPTURE LESSON
(Choose a passage of scripture to read. It can be a chapter, a paragraph, or a particular story. Daily lectionaries are available online or in print that assign a lesson each day from the gospels, epistles, Old Testament and psalms on a three-year cycle. Or you can create a plan to read a book of the Bible, or the whole Bible. Then follow the steps below.)
Read a passage of scripture. Read it out loud, very slowly and carefully as if for the first time. Continue reading until a word, phrase or sentence captures your attention. Stop there to repeat the word, phrase or sentence over and over, listening to it deeply in your heart.
Reflect on why the passage got your attention. Consider the area of your life to which this may apply. Is God saying something to you in this passage? Take time to listen carefully to whatever God may be saying to you.
Respond to God in prayer (or with journaling, music, art or whatever you choose) about what you have heard. Ask questions. Open yourself to God’s will for you.
Rest in God’s company. Be still and quiet. Move beyond thinking, practicing interior silence. Let yourself be open to God’s presence. Savor this moment with God.
PRAYER
Gentle God of mercy and love,
you have commanded us not to kill,
but we have no desire or plan to kill anyone.
This is a command we can keep,
except for calling our brother a fool.
Jesus says saying that is the same as murder.
Is silencing our sister’s words,
or shunning one of our former friends,
also the same as if we murdered them, God?
When someone hurts or betrays,
when they aggravate us without end,
can we not shut them out of our lives forever?
Must we remain kind to them?
Is it killing to just quit their company?
We do not want to kill, not even the guilty.
Killing is so very repulsive, God.
We watched your Son die so horribly,
when our sinful lives nailed him to the cross.
We want to obey your command.
Pour out your patience and compassion.
Fill us with your empathy and understanding.
Dethrone our need for vengeance
and establish within us a need to forgive.
Replace our selfishness with self-giving love.
Let your peace-making Spirit,
restore the good will and the harmony
between us and all our brothers and sisters.
And let your command be obeyed,
as we bask in the joy of the peacefulness
that you create in our hearts and in our world. Amen.
SILENCE AND COMMITMENT
(Pause to reflect and listen. Work to push out of your mind any distracting or irrelevant thoughts. Concentrate your thoughts on the words of the hymns and choruses you have sung, the prayers you have spoken and the scriptures you have read. Be aware of what you are feeling. Listen for anything that God might be saying to you in this time you have spent together. As God responds to your prayer-time, seek guidance for how you can best respond to God’s will. Then commit to serving God’s will for you.)
HYMN 439 “We Utter Our Cry”
CLOSING PRAYER
Ten commands you give, O God,
not suggestions, not guidelines, but commands.
Let them command our lives today, God of blessing.
Let their benefits sanctify the lives,
that your holy Son’s loving sacrifice has saved,
and restored to usefulness to you and you kingdom. Amen.
Copyright 2020. Robert D. Ingram, 32746 Jourden Rd., Albany, Ohio 45710 (dr.bobingram@gmail.com). Used by permission.
